Books › A Desolation Called Peace
Hugo Award for Best Novel 2022
A Desolation Called Peace
496 pages
A cerebral, high-stakes space opera where language and empathy are the ultimate weapons against annihilation.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a grand, high-stakes diplomatic puzzle where the sharpest weapons are words and syntax. The narrative unfolds at a steady, deliberate pace, building immense tension not just through the threat of galactic war, but through the agonizing, beautiful difficulty of true communication. It is a deeply cerebral experience, wrapping the reader in an atmosphere that is both claustrophobic in its political maneuvering and awe-inspiring in its cosmic scale. The prose is elegant and precise, lingering on the poetry of translation and the quiet intimacy of a slow-burn romance. It will absolutely delight readers who want their space operas to be as intellectually rigorous as they are emotionally resonant, proving that radical empathy can be just as thrilling as a space battle.
- Mood
- tense
- awe-inspiring
- intellectually stimulating
- expansive
- Tone
- cerebral
- urgent
- witty
- philosophical
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the limits of language · radical empathy · imperialism and assimilation · queer romance · the nature of personhood
- The writing
- Elegant and precise, reveling in the poetic nuances of language, translation, and internal monologue.
- The arc
- Moves from overwhelming alienation and political dread toward a profound, hard-won sense of connection.
- Who it's for
- Sci-fi fans who crave intricate political maneuvering, linguistic puzzles, and slow-burn sapphic romance.
Content notes
- imperialism
- war
- mild body horror
- violence
About the book
Sequel to A Memory Called Empire.
An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is running out of options.
In a desperate attempt at diplomacy with the mysterious invaders, the fleet captain has sent for a diplomatic envoy. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass—still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire—face the impossible task of trying to communicate with a hostile entity.
Whether they succeed or fail could change the fate of Teixcalaan forever.
Description from Open Library.
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